Separable wheel units for vehiclizing container

ABSTRACT

The wheel units are releasably attached to the bottom corner sockets of a shipping container which raises the container on the wheels of the units when a hydraulic ram on the unit is extended.

'0 United States Patent l 13,570,694

[72] Inventor Keith W. Tantlinger [5 6] References Cited Grosse PointeShores, Mich. UNlTED STATES PATENTS [21] P 1968 1,774,181 8/1930 McCallet a1. 254/2. 2 [221 FM 1971 2,785,814 3/1957 Corley 214/390 [451 r2,812,951 11/1957 Hanson 254/2. 2 x v [731 Asslgnee .i fi 2,968,4901/1961 Baus 214/390 x 1 3,327,996 6/1967 Morse 214/390X PrimaryExaminer-Albert J. Makay I [54] SEPARABLE WHEEL UNITS FOR VEHICLIZINGAltgmey-Harness, Dickey and Pierce CONTAINER 5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 214/390,

280/4323, 254/2 ABSTRACT: The wheel units are releasably attached to the[51] Int. Cl 860p 1/64 bottom corner sockets ofa shipping containerwhich raises the [50] Field of Search 214/390; container on the wheelsof the units when a hydraulic ram on the unit is extended.

SEPARABLE WHEEL UNITS FOR VEHICLIZING CONTAINER BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION Reference may belhad to the following patents which illustratethe state of the art: US. Pat. Nos. 2,968,490; 3,243,193; 3,156,484;3,253,668; 3,193,301.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention pertains to a wheeled unithaving a frame with projections at the bottom corners which extend intoapertures in sockets at the front bottom corners of the container. Thewheeled unit is mounted on a ram located at the central part of theframe for moving the wheels thereof downwardly and raising the frame onthe piston rod of the ram which is tumable to permit the wheels andfront end of the container to be steered. Separate wheeled units areemployed at the rear corners of the container, each having a frame whichabuts the rear wall of the container when securedthereon by a projectionextending into the aperture of the rear bottom comer sockets of thecontainer. A link and a ram are pivoted on the frame and to the wheelson which the container is supported when the ram is extended. The ramshave a pump thereon a operated by a lever which delivers the oil orother fluid under pressure to the cylinder for extending the piston rodor a double piston rod when used, and a manual operable valve returnsthe pressurized fluid in the cylinder to the other side of the pistonand to a reservoir when lowering the container to the ground. The unitsare self contained and are simple to attach and operate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a broken view of a corner ofa container having a wheeled unit thereon embodying features of thepresent in vention with the container shown in raised position;

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1, before thecontainer has been raised or after it has been lowered;

FIG. 4 is a broken view of the front end of the container with asteerable unit secured thereto with the container shown in raisedposition; and

FIG. 5 is a front view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, aunit 11 is illustrated, two of which are attached to rear bottom sockets12 of a container 13. The unit Ill has a frame 14 containing spacedbosses 15 at the top and spaced bosses 17 at the'bot'tom on the outerface thereof. A cylindrical pin 18 extends from the inner face of theplate of a diameter to pass into an aperture 19 in the socket 12. Thepin 18 has a notch 21 therein which receives the metal at the top of theaperture 19 to form a hooked relation therewith. A ram 22 has a pair oftelescoped piston rods 23 and 241 of conventional form with the cylindersecured to an inverted T-shaped support 25 containing a slot 26 forreceiving one end of a link 27. The link is secured to the support 25 byan axle 28 on the ends of which a pair of wheels 29 are secured. Theopposite end of link 27 is secured by a pivot 31 in the space betweenthe bottom bosses 17 in pivotal relation thereto. The upper end of thepiston rod 24 has a boss 32 which is secured between the bosses I5 by apivot 33. An inverted U-shaped bar 34 is secured to the upper end of thebosses 15 to form a handhold for moving the unit to and from thecontainer. The ram 22 has a manually operated pump 35 thereon actuatedby a handle 36 for pumping fluid from a reservoir and one end of thecylinder to the other for extending the piston rod and moving the wheels23 downwardly to thereby raise the container on the unit 11, asillustrated in FIGS. 11 and 2. 1

In FIG. 3, the unit 11 is shown after it has been moved into positionwith the container with the frame 14 in contact with the rear facethereof and the pin 18 disposed in the rear comer aperture 19. Upon thepumping of fluid into the ram 22, the frame 14 will be moved upwardly tohave the notch 21 of the pin engage the wall of the aperture to form ahook engage: ment. Thereafter, the extension of the pistons 23 and24-will raise the corner of the container on the wheels 29. By manuallyoperating a valve, the fluid will flow from one to the other side of thepiston and to the reservoir to permit the pistons 23 and 24 to retractand drop the container to the ground in the position illustrated in FIG.3. When in this position, the unit 11 may be separated from thecontainer by the movement of the pin 18 from the aperture 19.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, a unit 38 is illustrated which is employedat the front of the container. The unit embodies a frame having a backplate 39, a top plate 41 and end gussets 42 with spaced reinforcinggussets 43 near the central portion. A pair of pins 18 extend from thecorners of the back plate 39 in position to enter apertures 19 in thefront bottom corner sockets 12 of the container. The pins 18 havenotches 21 which form a hook with the upper portion of the wall of theapertures 19. A cylinder 44 is secured to the underside of the top plate41 between the gussets 43 having a manually operated pump 45 thereonactuated by a handle 50. A piston rod 40 extends from the cylinder 44and is secured to an invetted T-shaped support 46 through which an axle47 extends for supporting a pair of wheels 48. An arm 49 extendsforwardly from the T-shaped support 46 having spaced bosses 51 thereonto which a towbar 52 is secured by a pivot 53. With this arrangement theunit 38 is not only pulled by the towbar 52 but the wheels 48 can besteered by rotating the piston rod 40 and its piston within the cylinder44.

When the container 13 is resting upon the ground the unit 38 is movedagainst the front thereof to insert the pins 18 within the apertures 19.Thereafter, the pump handle is operated to introduce fluid underpressure to within the cylinder 44 to extend the piston rod 40 andthereby raise the container 13 on the wheels 48. Projections 54 at thetop of the arm 49 engage notches in a collar 55 of the cylinder whenwheels are disposed normal to the back plate 39 upon the lowering of thecylinder so as to prevent the steering of the wheels when the frame 38is separated from the container. When in this position, the towbar 52 issecured by a hook 56 pivoted to the top plate 41 and engaged in an eye57 on the towbar for retaining it in fixed position.

When employing either of the frame units 11 or 38, the fixedrelationship of the back frame 14 and plate 39, respectively, with theback and front walls of the container is made possible by the use of thepins 18 having the notch 21 therein which produces a hooked relationshipthat prevents the separation of the bottom of the plates from thesockets of the container. By the use of two types of units, a containermay be raised, transported to a position and again lowered to the groundor other support which permits the units to be removed therefrom. Theunits are of simple construction using a single ram and notchedprojecting pins which positively attach to the sockets at the bottomcorners of the container per mitting the container to be raised'andtransported on the wheels of the units.

Iclaim:

1. Separate wheel units for raising a transportable container havingbottom comer sockets which are engageable by the units, each said unitshaving a frame, pin means on said frame extendable into said socketsfrom the front and rear end of the container, each said frames having aram including a cylinder and a piston rod mounted thereon, wheel meansat one end of the rams, means for extending said rams for raising saidpin means and the corners of the container onto said wheel means forsupporting said container for transportation thereon, said pin meanshaving a notch therein providing a hook engagement with the inner wallof said sockets and being the sole means for locking the units againstremoval when the container is raised.

2. Separate wheel units for raising a transportable container as recitedin claim 1, wherein the frame at the front end of the tainer as recitedin claim 1, wherein two separate units are applied at the rear end ofthe container, and link means between said frames and rams whicn causessaid pin means and the corners of the container to be raised when therams are extended.

5. Separate wheel units for raising a transportable container as recitedin claim 1, wherein a manual operable pump on each separate unitprovides fluid to the ram for producing its extension.

1. Separate wheel units for raising a transportabLe container havingbottom corner sockets which are engageable by the units, each said unitshaving a frame, pin means on said frame extendable into said socketsfrom the front and rear end of the container, each said frames having aram including a cylinder and a piston rod mounted thereon, wheel meansat one end of the rams, means for extending said rams for raising saidpin means and the corners of the container onto said wheel means forsupporting said container for transportation thereon, said pin meanshaving a notch therein providing a hook engagement with the inner wallof said sockets and being the sole means for locking the units againstremoval when the container is raised.
 2. Separate wheel units forraising a transportable container as recited in claim 1, wherein theframe at the front end of the container is of such width as to supporttwo of said pin means in position to enter the sockets at the corners ofthe front end of the container with the wheel means centrally disposedtherebetween, and pivot means provided between said wheel means and saidframe to permit the wheel means to be steered.
 3. Separate wheel unitsfor raising a transportable container as recited in claim 2, wherein atowbar is secured to said pivot means.
 4. Separate wheels units forraising a transportable container as recited in claim 1, wherein twoseparate units are applied at the rear end of the container, and linkmeans between said frames and rams which causes said pin means and thecorners of the container to be raised when the rams are extended. 5.Separate wheel units for raising a transportable container as recited inclaim 1, wherein a manual operable pump on each separate unit providesfluid to the ram for producing its extension.